A/N: Hi!

So I've never written anything remotely Cheers related, and a few months ago I was randomly writing and somehow came up with this. Lilith is one of my favorite characters of all time and I wanted to write something about her relationship with the Cheers gang, Frasier, and Rebecca. I'm just writing this for fun, so I'm unsure if I'll do a good job writing her voice or any of the other characters.

I'm not sure how long this will be, but it'll probably end up somewhere about 10k words. I decided to break it up just so I could post a bit at a time rather than waiting to post the whole thing. Constructive criticism is appreciated.

Anyways, enjoy!

She needed this escape, didn't she?

Lilith strolled the Public Garden alone, not one bit bothered that her husband was once again at that damn bar. She went along the ice which glistened in the barely-there afternoon sunlight and held her hands tight in her coat pockets to stay warm. She wouldn't be able to do as comfortably this if he was there. The two had a relationship where silence was accepted, but even then, awkwardness tended to linger in the inevitability that Frasier would soon say something he'd soon regret. But she was alone as she walked along the frozen pond, keeping a leisurely pace.

The gardens were gorgeous in the winter. The usually well-kept plants were dusted in snow, leftover from a large storm that had passed a day or two before. The limits of the garden were quiet in contrast to the busy city, and uncharacteristically devoid of tourists. Although the weather was brisk and she found her face numb, Lilith found herself content to take her time. She needed this.

Frustration, though, soon flooded her thoughts. Was this how she was to spend her time when not working or attending the bar with Frasier, all alone in the middle of Boston, in comfortable silence with herself? Her mind slipped away as little worries began to flood her brain, her steps quickening.

She could not join Frasier in going to Cheers every night–she visited the bar only every so often and when she did, it wasn't difficult for her to tell that her presence was not entirely welcome.

She'd only just learned to rub off Carla's constant teasings, despite the hard shell she put on. Their impact had built up over time, and only now could she take a deep breath and accept them as Carla's way of coping with her own faults.

However, the issue remained. As Lilith stood out in the cold, bundled up in her layers of clothes, she wondered if the problem at hand was with Frasier or herself. She let out a deep breath and inhaled the cold air, pausing for a second longer before crossing to the other side.

Cheers was just a few minutes' walk to her right. She could at the very least see how Frasier was doing. The thought lingered– for some odd reason, she did not feel any real reason to visit Frasier other than that they were married and it was the correct thing to do. Nevertheless, she continued on, turning right to inevitably be on Beacon Street.

However, as much as Lilith hated to admit it, going down those stairs and entering the bar clamped up had simply become routine. She would focus on finding Frasier and either check-in or tell him whatever was necessary (though most times, she'd call). For some odd reason, though, this time felt even more uncomfortable.

She pushed the door open and stepped into the bar hurriedly, taking quick notes of the scene as she took off her coat. Frasier stood next to Norm and Cliff– the three venting away about their daily woes. Across the bar, Sam and Woody seemed to be testing some sort of new blender while Carla mocked them. There wasn't a single hello towards Lilith- not even from Rebecca, who Lilith had to admit she had grown to like most. Everyone in Cheers was busy doing whatever unnecessary, incessant thing they'd been doing when she'd arrived.

Lilith was okay with that.

She used the disregard of her entrance as an opportunity to sneak around to the back of the bar, taking an open seat at the table behind the regulars. She sat back in the chair and took a deep breath.

"Oh, Lilith's been cold lately."

"Woah-ho-ho-ho- colder than usual?" Norm commented, with a hearty chuckle.

"Yes, colder than usual. I can't help but think I'm doing something wrong. She was perfectly fine until about a week ago and then… you know I just can't figure it out. It's all up and down with Lilith- she really gets on my nerves. God, I could just…"

"You know—" Norm paused to take a sip of his beer, "—Vera's a lot like that. Some days she could care less about me and then others…"

Brief silence followed by a slurp and a small bang on the bar.

"Hey Sammy, get me another beer, will ya'?"

The sound of quick footsteps from behind the bar was followed by Frasier, who asked, "Sam, you wouldn't happen to have any advice for me about Lilith, would you?"

Lilith tensed up for a moment and pulled her notebook from her jacket pocket. It was immature of her to listen in on this conversation in particular- she took her pen in hand and studied her to-do list for the next few days. She tried to block out the conversation, but it was difficult when Frasier was barely five feet away and talking to Sam about their personal business at an extremely loud–

"Oh, Lilith!"

As if on cue, Lilith raised her head and turned toward her husband.

"When did you arrive, darling? Sam and I were just discussing a friend of ours—"

"Just a minute ago," Lilith replied, not hesitating to interrupt Frasier. "I just came to say hello."

Backtracking away from a forced conversation, she asked, "Is Rebecca here? I wanted to ask her something."

Sam, from behind the bar, gestured to the office with one hand. Lilith thanked him and fled to the office, shutting the door as soon as she entered.

Rebecca looked up and a smile crossed her face.

"Oh hi Lilith! How-"

"Rebecca, I need to speak with you," Lilith didn't waste time, sitting down on the edge of the arm of the couch. Her palms were squeezed together, and she cleared her throat.

"Can I trust you with a personal issue?"

Maybe she was an idiot for coming to Rebecca. No one at Cheers had a particularly good record for secret-keeping, but she was desperate. Not that Lilith's issue was much of a secret, anyway, more than a much-needed vent.

"Yeah, sure Lilith," Rebecca took a seat across from her on the desk. "What's up?"

"I fear I am in a bit of a bind. I must admit I am really struggling with the way Frasier and I have settled into our marriage. He's at Cheers so often that I find myself questioning why I ever married him. I'm not lonely, I just…"

She shut her eyes for a second, trying to find the words.

"I knew Frasier was tied to Cheers the moment I met him. I should have known that his obsession with this bar wouldn't go away. I had not expected it to consume our marriage as it has."

"Well, I'm no genius-"

"No, you aren't," Lilith mused bluntly, before quickly realizing that she'd spoken aloud. Rebecca's eyebrows suddenly raised with a nasty frown, so Lilith fumbled an apology, "I'm sorry, Rebecca. That was rude of me."

There was a pause before either woman said anything further.

"Lilith, I'm not the most qualified to talk about love lives– you know, with my track record– but I'm just wondering, you talk about your marriage and all that but do you guys… you know?"

Lilith didn't reply, brain wondering what Rebecca's implication was. The pause was quickly interrupted by a clarification.

"Like, do you two have a good relationship?"

"That depends on your definition of good," Lilith's flat tone was, admittedly, dreary. "Frasier tries, I suppose, but it just isn't how I thought marriage would be."

She paused.

Or how living with a man would be.

"I'm disappointed if you want me to be perfectly honest. With our marriage, with Frasier- even with myself, I suppose."

"Gee Lilith. I'm sorry that- I'm sorry that sucks. Have you tried talking to him about it?"

Lilith shook her head.

"Frasier's sensitive. If I were to suggest that anything in our marriage is wrong, he'd either break down or blame it on me. Or more likely, a combination of both. My conflict comes from the fact that I do care for him— but I'm afraid that that care is not romantic."

Lilith had somehow come to a conclusion. She stopped for a moment as she tried to let that realization settle in. But before she could process it thoroughly, Rebecca cut in.

"Well Lilith, I mean- that's big. You've gotta tell him."

"That's easier said than done. I don't feel like I can be honest with him— as stupid as that may sound."

"What's stopping you?"

Lilith found herself caught off guard by the question. After a moment, she answered.

"I suppose I do not want to admit that this marriage is unsatisfactory. Have you ever felt as if your entire worth depended on a singular, superficial thing?"

Rebecca huffed, "No, me? Never."

She paused before continuing.

"Lilith, your self-worth does not depend on your marriage! Look at me. I thought that my self-worth was defined by the men in my life, but—" She scrunched her nose– "You know, maybe I'm not the best person to help you, Lilith."

Lilith gave a slight smile before returning to her seriousness.

"Thank you for attempting to help, Rebecca. I should probably seek out my colleagues for counsel," Lilith stood up and turned to exit the office.

"Lilith- hold on a second."

Rebecca's words stopped Lilith in her tracks.

"I just wanted to say, you're brilliant, maybe a bit intimidating, attractive— I really admire you, Lilith. Don't let Frasier determine your value."

Lilith couldn't help but feel butterflies in her stomach.

"Thank you."

Lilith left the office, cheeks red, and head straight for the bar door—only to be stopped by Frasier.

"Lilith!"

Her head swiveled to see Frasier a few steps away.

"Are you just going to leave without saying goodbye?"

She sucked in a breath— "I apologize. I'm going to get an early night in. I suppose I was just too tired to say goodnight."

"Well, that's okay. Goodnight then, Lilith."

"Goodnight, Frasier. Please don't stay out too late."

"I'll try to be home by midnight."

Sure.

She left the bar and headed back into the cold.

Rebecca had called her attractive. Lilith couldn't remember a woman calling her that for ages. She hadn't expected it, and it had caught her off guard. There was something enticing at the thought– a woman found her attractive. She had never felt anything remotely similar to the feelings she was just now experiencing when men called her that. But when a woman called her it, she felt as if it meant something, which was likely why she had been too stunned to say anything remotely intelligent in thanks.

For the rest of the night, even as she got ready for bed, all she could think about was her conversation with Rebecca. Rebecca had made some valid points on Lilith's situation, sure, but what really stuck with Lilith, of course, was the compliment she had been given.

Rebecca admired her. Rebecca thought she was brilliant. Rebecca was intimidated by her.

Lilith's thoughts were rampant– why was she so thrown off by Rebecca's sweet comment?

She needed to sleep it off.